Puerto Rico adopts regulation for use of medical marijuana

The Jakarta Post

The Jakarta Post

San Juan |
Fri, January 29, 2016 | 12:55 pm

Health benefits: In this Dec. 14, 2015, file photo, Sebastopol councilman Robert Jacob poses for a photo in Sebastopol, Calif. Medical marijuana advocates hoped the passage of Californiaâs first statewide industry regulations would make local governments more receptive to pot-related businesses. Instead, cities and counties are racing to ban marijuana cultivation ahead of a March 1 deadline that lawmakers say was included in the final version by mistake. Jacob is asking the city council to approve a resolution urging the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and city councils around the county to adopt medical cannabis regulations, especially for cultivation, to protect the local industry. (Christopher Chung/ The Press Democrat via AP, File) (Christopher Chung/ The Press Democrat via AP, File)

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Health benefits: In this Dec. 14, 2015, file photo, Sebastopol councilman Robert Jacob poses for a photo in Sebastopol, Calif. Medical marijuana advocates hoped the passage of California's first statewide industry regulations would make local governments more receptive to pot-related businesses. Instead, cities and counties are racing to ban marijuana cultivation ahead of a March 1 deadline that lawmakers say was included in the final version by mistake. Jacob is asking the city council to approve a resolution urging the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and city councils around the county to adopt medical cannabis regulations, especially for cultivation, to protect the local industry. (Christopher Chung/ The Press Democrat via AP, File)

Puerto Rico's Health
Department has adopted a regulation that will allow for the cultivation,
manufacturing and distribution of medical marijuana in the U.S.
territory.

Officials say the substance can be used in forms
including pills, creams, patches and oral drops. Authorities stress that
smoking marijuana and cultivating it for personal use remains illegal.

The
Health Department said Thursday that it will implement a seed-to-sale
inventory tracking system. It will also award licenses to doctors and to
private companies that seek to cultivate and manufacture medicinal
marijuana.

Officials say samples must be sent to independent labs to
ensure they contain the correct amounts of THC and are free of
contaminants.

Public Affairs Secretary Jesus Manuel Ortiz says the system should be in place by year's end. (ags)